It was comical to watch her considering how to reply. "The point is that you are my boss. You can't go around kissing your employees. Do you kiss your other employees?"
"I don't have employees. My band mates, I suppose work for me. My managers." He scratched his head in thought. "Nope, I can't say I've ever kissed any of the guys or Lacey, she’s annoying."
"Oh my God. You're not taking this seriously.” She trudged to her horse and mounted. "We need to get back if you're going to head to the airport. I don't think the rain will stop."
Once he mounted, Bennett reached over and placed his hat on her head. "Let's go."
Heads bent, they went back to the stables. He caught her a couple times looking at him from under the hat's rim. Probably still trying to figure him out. There wasn't a straight answer to why he'd kissed her. It was a combination of opportunity and her being so damned good looking.
Jenna called to every part of him. The woman was enticing and dangerous. The only thing that kept him from postponing his departure was the plethora of calls from his manager. Most of the messages the man left included cursing and threats to quit.
Once they finally made it to his house, Jenna hurried to her bedroom after a comment about needing to get into some dry clothes.
Once he, too, changed into dry clothes, he headed back downstairs from the loft with his bag over his shoulder. Bennett looked to where the dogs were kept. Jenna was nowhere in sight. Finally, he gave up and went to her bedroom door and rapped on it. "Jenna, I'm about to go."
Bennett wasn't sure what he expected: a warm farewell or a quick "see you later”.
The door opened and she stood rosy cheeked with wet curls. Obviously, she'd taken a hot shower. "Oh, already.” She skirted around him and walked to the larger living space. "Do you need a ride to the airport?"
"Nah, Regina should be here in a minute.” It was taking everything for him not to ask for at least one hug. Instead, he let out a breath. "She's pulling up now. Call me if any issues come up. See you in Bozeman in a couple weeks."
When he turned, she touched his arm. "No hard feelings?"
"Of course not.” Bennett smiled at her. "Not yet, anyway.” He winked and walked out, glad to hear her chuckle.
"I'm done. I swear to you, Bennett, I'm done and gone.” Daniel, his manager, stomped across the room toward him when Bennett walked into the hotel conference suite which was reserved for band meetings.
"There is no excuse for you missing not just one, but two, damned interviews. I promised these people you'd be there.” The man was slight and wore wire-framed glasses. Although one of the best in the business, there were days Bennett wanted to punch him through the wall.
"You set them up without asking me first.” Bennett sunk into a chair. "I would apologize, however, I'm not sorry. I needed the break."
Tucker slid him a look. "You look good. Meanwhile, I'm tired as hell."
"From what, oversleeping?"
Everyone laughed until Daniel turned to them, glaring. "You don't want to get a reputation for being a Prima Donna. I can't stop the media if they get ahold of the pissed off people."
"All right.” Bennett waited for the man to look at him. "I'm sorry. Put me through to the station, I'll do a phone interview, give them some free tickets to give away or something."
"Yeah well, that won’t do much good since you aren't going back there anytime soon."
“I’ll fly a couple people to a concert somewhere.”
Daniel seemed appeased. “We’ll figure something out.”
Tucker sat forward. "Can we concentrate on what's going on now?"
They discussed the upcoming tour dates and stops for over an hour. More than once, Bennett glanced at his phone. Jenna said she'd be at the concert two days from then. Hopefully, he'd have a chance to see her.
"Are we interrupting something? You need to figure out what your priority is right now.” This time the manager stood and walked out of the room.
"Shit." Bennett rushed to catch up with him. "Hey...."
He caught up with Daniel who walked surprisingly fast. Probably on adrenaline from being pissed.
Bennett let out a breath. "Daniel, you can’t quit. You keep beating a dead horse. I said I'd make phone calls.” Bennett struggled to keep from laughing when the guy actually rolled his eyes and sighed. "My mind was elsewhere, I apologize. Come back inside. Let’s finish these discussions and I'll buy you some coffee."
"You are driving me to drinking something stronger than coffee.” Daniel pushed his glasses back.
"No time off until your last concert. Six weeks."
As much as he wanted to argue, it was pointless. Once the tour was over, he had four months off and he'd make sure no other dates were added. "No new bookings. I will not do more than what is on the schedule now."
"Very well."
Twenty-One
The screaming of the fans lined up outside the concert center was enough to send chills down Jenna’s spine. When she spotted Bennett's picture down the side of a huge building, she shivered. How could it be that she'd managed to get hired to work with him and, not only that, but also live with him in Alder Gulch of all places?
A young woman wearing a headset speed-walked toward to meet them. The razor cut hair barely moved when she turned side to side, her shrewd gaze scanning them. Aunt Janet rolled her eyes.
The woman held her hand out. "I'm Lacey, Bennett’s manager's assistant. Please follow me."
They hustled after the woman, the clip-clopping of her heels sounding like castanets as she moved at a remarkably fast speed.
"I have a heart condition, slow it down sister," Aunt Janet called out and stopped walking. Lacey huffed and attempted, without success, to smile. "They're waiting for you."
"Who is waiting?" Regina asked. "I thought we'd just go to our seats."
The woman looked to Jenna. "Are you a relative?"
Just then, Bennett appeared. With tight jeans and a blue plaid shirt, he looked delicious. He sauntered over and kissed Aunt Janet, then Elle and Regina. He moved to stand by Jenna and pulled her against his side. “Hey, there.”
Lacey's eyes narrowed.
Not noticing the woman's change in demeanor, Bennett motioned to the others. "Lacey, you've met Elle and Regina. This is Aunt Janet and this is my friend, Jenna.” He squeezed her closer and Jenna fell limply against him, unable to move away.
"Nice to meet you," Lacey said, looking only at Aunt Janet who gave her a droll look in return.
The older woman turned to Bennett. "When do I get to meet the lead guitarist? He's a hunky boy, that Tucker."
Regina coughed and Bennett chuckled.
They followed Lacey down a long corridor. The entire time Bennett kept his arm around Jenna's shoulders. She looked up at him. "Trying to give Lacey the boot?"
"Nah. I’m trying to keep her from getting any ideas about anything between us.” When Lacey turned to look at them, he kissed the top of Jenna’s head. Although she knew it was a game, it didn't stop her from enjoying his attention.
The dressing room was small. Each of the band members sat around with water bottles or Gatorade in hand or nearby.
After a flurry of greetings and introductions, Jenna and the other women were rushed out by Lacey.
A hand on her shoulder stopped Jenna and she turned to find Bennett smiling down at her. "I'm glad you came."
She wasn't sure if Lacey was watching. Just in case, she threw her arms around his waist and hugged him. "I'm glad, too. Is she watching us?"
"Yep.” He lifted her chin and kissed her on the lips. His mouth took hers with so much hunger and want that she closed her eyes.
When he moved away, she stood in a daze without moving. Jenna turned to find that no one else was around. If Lacey had been there, she was gone now.
Jenna walked in the direction the women had gone and ran into Lacey, who had headed back to find her. "Oh, there you are. Where's everyone?"
"Seated. I'll show you w
here," Lacey replied flatly and turned away. So maybe she had seen the kiss.
The performance kept Jenna either on the edge of her seat or standing up and clapping. She laughed when Regina and Elle danced up and down the aisle and Aunt Janet, not one to be left out, grabbed a cowboy and enjoyed a twirl or two. Admittedly, several times Bennett's voice took her breath.
He knew exactly how to bring the crowd to stand or to listen when he leaned over the crowd commanding over the entire arena. Somehow, it felt personal even if surrounded by thousands of avid fans. His deep voice vibrated out of enormous speakers. The beats of each song entwining with his singing, claimed a person.
What shocked her the most was his sensuality. The tight jeans showed off his muscular thighs and clung to his perfectly formed butt. He used his body without holding back and, at times, she had to look away only to see women entranced by him. Elle smiled widely toward the stage and grabbed her hand. "He's awesome, isn't he?"
"Yes, I didn't expect this. So different from when he's at the ranch."
Regina danced over to them. "The brat is a good entertainer, I'll give him that."
They laughed and waved their arms in the air when the song called for it. Although Jenna hadn't heard any of the songs, before long, she was singing the chorus line along with everyone else.
The concert was almost over when Lacey appeared and handed her a note. She leaned closer to speak into Jenna’s ear. “Come back stage after the concert. Bennett asks that you wait for him in the dressing room.”
Elle neared. "What's going on?"
"Bennett wants her to meet him after the show."
"Ooooh," Elle lifted and lowered her eyebrows. "Hook up."
"No, not a hook up. Definitely not a hook up," Jenna replied and slid a look up at the stage. The band was playing while Bennett allowed his lead guitarist to sing. Bennett played his guitar while Tucker took center stage. It gave Jenna a moment to watch him sway to the music, his sweat-drenched face bright. He was definitely in his element.
If ever she'd seen a man doing what he was born to do, this was it. Bennett played the guitar while his friend sang about country girls, which delighted the young women in the audience who stood with arms in the air wiggling to the beat.
She glanced over at Regina then leaned into her ear. "Why would Bennett want me to come to the dressing room after the concert?"
Regina shrugged. "Don't know. We have to drive back. I'll check on the dogs in the morning if you stay here. He's got a big bus with plenty of space to sleep."
Why was everyone thinking it was not that big of a deal? Did he often have women spend the night with him after a concert? "I'm not going to sleep with him,” she snapped. "If you can't wait for me, I need to figure out a way to get back tonight."
"I doubt he'll expect that. If there's a man who won't force a woman or even try anything like that, it's Bennett. I'm sure it's work related."
Regina screamed and jumped in the air. "This is my jam!"
Feeling bad for what she’d thought about earlier, Jenna let out a huff. When she looked up on the stage, Bennett was on their side and he swung the guitar to his back, grabbed the microphone and his deep voice hummed, sending her to gasp at how much it affected her.
God, the last thing she needed was to become a groupie.
"Let me take a shower and I'll be right with you." Bennett walked to where she assumed was the bedroom and bathroom area. The tour bus was not quite what she expected. It was amazing.
The plush leather seating and soft lighting invited a person to sit and relax. The luxurious bus was equipped with a small refrigerator, bar and large screen television for movie viewing.
A short while later, Bennett emerged wearing shorts and a plain white t-shirt. Jenna considered that just minutes ago thousands of women were clamoring for his attention although never dreaming of a moment with him alone.
"What did you think?” His earnest expression almost made her laugh. Did this man actually wish for her approval?
"I loved every minute of it. You are an amazing entertainer.” She swallowed uncomfortably at his scrutiny. It was as if he studied her to ensure the words were sincere.
"I think I've become a country music fan," Jenna added. "Do you have any water?"
"Yeah." He went to the small refrigerator and pulled out two bottles. "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself.” He opened a bottle of water and handed to her and then sunk into the opposite side of the couch.
This was probably not the time to ask, but she really wanted to know how she was supposed to get home. It was almost midnight as it was and they'd yet to talk.
When he looked at her, butterflies began a complicated tango in the pit of her stomach. Not the time for this shit. Jenna grimaced when the damned things ignored her and began a waltz.
Shit, she was in big trouble.
"It's nice to have someone to talk to after performing. My band mates are all going out and I didn't want to go. Not so much because I'm an asshole, but sometimes they can't enjoy themselves if I come along.”
He didn't have to elaborate; no doubt, fans overtook him any place Bennett went.
"How do you handle it? It must be hard for you to do anything without attracting attention."
The screen flickered on and a movie began playing. Looked like he was in the middle of watching a popular action flick. “Its easy to get used to. At least for me it is.”
"Why am I here?"
He leaned forward and let out a breath. "I don't have a good answer for that."
Unsure what to say or do, she drank from the water bottle and waited for him to elaborate. Instead, he slid closer. "I guess I wanted company. At the end of a show, sometimes it sucks to come here and rattle around the bus by myself. I can easily get people to join me, but most of the time, I don't know them well and don't trust they are here for the right reason. I don't want to sound arrogant."
"You don't. I get what you're trying to say.” Jenna struggled not to reach out and touch him. Then of its own accord, her hand was cupping his jaw.
"Can I kiss you?" Bennett's gaze locked on her lips and Jenna wanted to say no. She really wanted to get up and out of there. Of course, that's what she tried to convince herself of. But each time alone with him, the tension became harder to resist.
"Yes." Her one breathless word was all he needed. His mouth covered hers and arms wrapped around her like a vise.
It would be wasteful not to take advantage. After all, they’d just crossed too many boundaries to even try to go backwards. Jenna raked her fingers through his hair, enjoying the feel of his damp locks sliding through them.
Naturally, he ended up on top of Jenna, her legs around his hips and his mouth firmly around her nipple. It was not a surprise really as much as that they weren't naked yet.
Unable to control herself, Jenna slid her hands under his shirt. Her nails trailed up his back, the taut muscles reacting to her touch.
Bennett's tongue delved into her mouth and he groaned as if in pain. It wasn't pain, not like anything really hurting, but the same ache she suffered at the moment.
"I want you," he whispered, the husky words like electrical shocks. "Say yes."
If a tornado took the bus to Kansas or Oz at the moment, Jenna would be happy to go on the ride. "Yes," she cried out when his mouth covered the opposite tip and he suckled it deep into this mouth. "But I think..."
"Don't think.” Bennett yanked at her jeans, pulling them down off her legs. He followed up by removing his t-shirt. Jenna didn't wait for him to help with her top. She pulled it off over her head.
They were headed into the biggest mistake. The action would cost her, and although she realized this, it was a small price to pay. Both needed it and any kind of reason didn't stand a chance.
He took her hand and guided Jenna to the sleeping area. The bed was huge. She was surprised to find it made and the space neat. Or maybe it was a rumpled mess, since, if she were to be honest, her eyes remained on him the entire time.
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Bennett guided her to lie on the bed and he smiled down at her. Damn if that didn’t melt her insides.
Slowly, he removed his shorts. Her breath left at the sight of him, once again, completely nude. This time, however, it was so different. Fully erect, he was spectacular. His member took her attention and she wanted to taste it, have every glorious inch of him in her mouth.
Perhaps before the evening ended.
With wide shoulders and a broad chest, he was more muscular than he looked with clothes on. His flat stomach and well-formed legs would definitely fulfill every single woman's fantasy.
He climbed onto the bed and lay on his side next to her. "You're beautiful.” His gaze skimmed down her body from her breasts down to between her legs. Jenna resisted squirming at just how the action affected her. Instead, she pulled his face closer and kissed him. "Touch me."
Bennett rolled over her, his mouth taking hers with hunger and she parted her lips allowing his tongue to explore as she ran her hands up and down his back.
Between her legs, his hard length slipped between her folds pressing against the most sensitive part of her and Jenna wrapped her right leg around his.
Trailing his tongue down to her shoulders Jenna pulled his face back up to hers. “Roll over.”
“All right,” the drawled out words music to her ears as she would finally get what she wanted.
Bennett did his best to keep his shit together and not moan like a porn star when Jenna took her time kissing and nipping a path from his chest down the center of his body. He cupped her head, the soft curls threading through his fingers while her tongue found the spot right on his right lower side. She twirled it on the spot and he swallowed throwing his head back in expectation of what would come next. Lifting his head, he loved the sight of her plump lips pressing against the tip of his sex. She sucked it slowly and slipped it into her mouth inch by inch until he hit the back of her neck.
Her eyes lifted to him as she cupped his balls and pulled back only to take him back in. Damn she was good.
Sensations pooled between his legs, his legs stretch as his balls tightened. “Not yet. We’re not done.” He lifted her face loving the sight of slipping out from her mouth. “Come here.”
Montana Born and Bred Page 12
